Re: P08 Luger problem

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captjoe

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RC, Jim K, you guys nailed it with a weak trigger spring. took it apart again last nite, tweaked the spring just a tad to see if it would make a difference. got to the range this morning.. 3 mags, 3 rounds each, no problemo. fires,ejects, loads, fires again, every time. increased to 5 rounds per mag and got same results. after about 35 rounds it started to act up intermittently, not resetting the firing pin every third or fourth shot. i ordered a new spring but i'm wondering if i can bend that old spring a bit more to see if it will hold up a lot longer. your input is most welcome. thanks big time. just in case you were wondering, these old eyes and that old pistol put 29 out of 35 in a 5"circle at about '40. sweet!!
 
Bending a spring usually doesn't work.

If it is hardened properly, it will probably break.

If it isn't hardened enough, bending it will only weaken it, just like bending a paper-clip back and forth a few times to break it.

If you can get a good replacement, that is your best bet.

rc
 
P08 luger

this flat spring feels pretty stiff, but obviously weakens under load and heat. i've been loading 124gr plated rn at about 850-900fps. maybe backing off to minimum charge might help...according to numrich new spring on the way.
thanx for the info.
joe
 
If you can get a Luger to work at all with that light a load, more power too you.

I have owned 2-3 in my life that would not function with standard pressure USA made ammo.

They like it hot like the Germans loaded 9mm Parabellum (prepare for war)!

A 124 at 1,200 would be more closer to what they were designed to work with.

rc
 
I think the problem was the trigger bar (sear) spring, which is a short flat spring, not the trigger spring, which is a coil spring on the Luger.

Anyway, glad you found the problem and will be able to fix it.

Jim
 
My 1941 made Mauser P-08 functions great with standard pressure American ammo like Winchester White Box, UMC, Federal bulk, and my reloads. In fact I've never had an FTF, FTE or any malfunction with the pistol.
 
Don't get too hot ammo; the gun will stand it, but the ejector won't and they are getting expensive.

Jim
 
It looks like all of Wolff's Luger springs are coil springs. The trigger bar spring is a flat spring, as is the magazine catch spring and the old style recoil spring. The ejector has no spring, it is its own spring.

Jim
 
Don't get too hot ammo; the gun will stand it, but the ejector won't and they are getting expensive.
Click to expand...
I kinda tend to disagree.

German WWII surplus 9mm ammo would put 9 cases into low earth orbit out of a P08.

And you could reload the mag while they were still coming down.

U.S. ammo of the 50's & 60's wouldn't operate the action on the 2 or 3 I had back then.

I have seen chipped extractors from the WWII German steel case ammo.

But I don't think we know the true meaning of Hot today, compared to the WWI & WWII surplus German ammo I used to shoot in them 40-50 years ago.

rc
 
There is a lot of "hype" about 9mm NATO and the like, which is no hotter than the WWII German stuff.

Unfortunately, there are two myths about the Luger. One is that there is no possible way you can blow up a Luger (same nonsense as about the Ruger) and that 9mm ammo is underpowered and you need to buy the hottest ammo going or crank up the powder measure.

But I have seen two Lugers with broken ejectors, so you can definitely get ammo that is too hot. (One was fired with Finnish SMG ammo, the other with the owner's hot handload.)

Jim
 
I agree.
+P+ SMG ammo, and overly hot handloads are not good for them.

All I was saying was, I had more then one WWII vet bring-back, all matching number Luger's in the 60's that would simply not work with wimpy American 9mm ball ammo of the time.

They worked perfectly with German WWII surplus ammo.

I was also trying to say that perhaps the OP's "124gr plated rn at about 850-900fps" might be part of the problem.

Luger's were designed to work with 124 at 1,250 FPS.

NOT at 850-900 FPS.

I would further suggest that he at least buy a box or two of standard 124 grain FMJ-RN ammo to get it sorted out, instead of trying to diagnose problems with .380 ACP velocity level handloads.

It may not work with them, even if there is nothing wrong with it!

rc
 
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P08 luger problem

just to clarify..i had run several factory loads and brands of ammo thru this luger with the same disappointing results-FTF. i tried upping my handloads a bit, no help. i thought maybe going a bit in the other direction might help, but i'll just wait for the new trigger bar spring (incorrectly identified as a trigger spring in my last post..sorry 'bout that). i normally try to load my 9mm to 1000 fps and that seems to suit all my pistols just fine. being somewhat unfamiliar with the luger and its limitations (??) as a 70 something year old gun, i tend to be a little conservative with the loads. this pistol was never intended to be an everyday shooter, just a little range treat for me and my grandson to spend some time together and remember dad. once the new spring is installed i'll experiment a little with the loads. thanks for the links and the info
joe
 
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